The Extinction of the Stephens Island Wren

A 1907 illustration of the Stephen's Island wren by John Gerrard Keulemans. Public domain

The extinction of one New Zealand bird species is often attributed to a single cat. While feline predation played a significant role in the end of the Stephens Island wren, the story is actually more complex.

Harvey, Chelsea. “The Crazy Story of a Cat Named Tibbles Who Killed Off a Whole Species of Bird.” Business Insider. Dec. 30, 2014. http://www.businessinsider.com/tibbles-the-cat-and-stephens-island-wren-2014-12